Understanding Probiotics For Your Health
I hope todays conversation has helped you to learn a bit more about the utility of probiotics, and how in certain instances they can be beneficial for your health.
That said, the first thing you need to do is understand if they are right for you. This can include gaining a better idea for your overall health.
While probiotics may help benefit your thyroid, you need to know if they are right for you. The first may include taking the Thyroid Quiz .
This can help you understand the state of your thyroid, and the action steps you can start taking today to help improve the way it is performing and how you are feeling.
To your health, your thyroids health, and your guts health, too!
Make Sure Any Supplements You Buy Are Coated
Some probiotic strains can’t survive the acidity of your gut. So if you’re taking a supplement, make sure it’s coated the outer shell will help it reach your intestines intact. If you can find only an uncoated version, take it with food to help protect it from the aggressive environment.
This article originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of Womens Health. For more intel on how to live a happier, healthier life, pick up an issue on newsstands now.
When Should I Take A Probiotic
Because supplements like probiotics aren’t regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, each probiotic supplement may come with different directions on dosing and timing. The most important advice is to choose a time you’ll actually stick to, especially if you have trouble remembering to take pills in the first place. “Consistency is the key with taking probiotics if one wants to reap the potential benefits,” Dr. Asike says.
While the time of day is ultimately up to you, this expert suggests that probiotics may be most effective if you plan to take them about 30 minutes before a mealand most effective if you take your supplement before breakfast. Probiotics will have a greater effect in your small intestine if you take them before you eat: “During a fast or prior to eating, the stomach won’t be as acidic and this will allow the probiotic capsule or tablet to be able to make its way into the intestine,” he explains.
Adding a probiotic into your routine first thing in the A.M., then, will likely keep your stomach from sabotaging your efforts. “Breakfast is usually eaten around the same time daily, and tends to be smaller and more easily digested,” Dr. Asike says.
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More Research Is Needed To Clearly Understand Probiotics
Though researchers don’t have the full picture yet, the National Institute of Health says there is evidence to suggest probiotics might be helpful for certain health conditions.
For example, in a review published in Antibiotics, across multiple studies, researchers found that probiotics can help relieve diarrhea caused by taking antibiotics. On average 8% of people who took a probiotic experienced antibiotic-associated diarrhea compared to almost 18% of people who did not take a probiotic.
Two stand-out strains that the researchers found helped were L. rhamnosus GG and S. boulardii.The dosage, however, varied among the different studies ranging anywhere from as little as 106 colony forming units to 1010 CFU taken one to two times a day for one to two weeks straight.
And another review, published in 2014 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that probiotics helped ease constipation in adults, including upping stool frequency and decreasing bloating. When it came to boosting stool frequency, for example, the B. lactis strain seemed to be the most effective, resulting in an additional 1.5 go’s weekly.
While this difference was statistically significant, it is a very small effect, if you think about it. And it may be that some people respond better than others, though researchers don’t yet know how to identify them.
For Good Health Take Probiotics Right After Your Meal
This will help the good bacteria reach the intestine by protecting them from stomach acids maintaining their efficacy.
Taking probiotics on an empty stomach when your digestive system is active is bad.
The stomach acid dilutes the enteric coating of the capsule destroying the delicate strains of bacteria. Eventually, following probiotics dosages become useless.
When you take the healthy bacteria right after eating, you create a buffering system.
This gave a better chance to the good microbes to pass through the digestive tract.
Besides protection, food in your stomach provides nourishment to the probiotics. This helps the microbes to survive, thrive, and grow.
This was a short guide on how to use probiotics in the right way. Following these tips will boost the effectiveness of good bacteria to a great extent. But, do you even need it?
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Side Effects And Interactions
Probiotics usually dont cause major side effects in healthy individuals.
However, you may experience minor symptoms, such as gas and bloating. These often improve with time, but taking your probiotic at night may reduce daytime symptoms.
If you take a probiotic to prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea, you may wonder whether the antibiotic will kill the bacteria in your probiotic. However, strains designed to help prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea wont be affected (
Will Taking Probiotics Reduce The Bodys Natural Production
Some people have expressed concerns that if they take probiotics for prolonged periods that it would eventually inhibit their bodys ability to produce probiotics of its own. We understand why some people would get this idea. Think about testosterone as an example. Testosterone replacement therapy, after all, is known to diminish the bodys ability to produce its own testosterone hence why you need to cycle on and off.
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Is the same true with probiotics? There is no evidence suggesting that such a thing happens when you consume probiotics from food or supplement. Heres another way of looking at it: the body produces some vitamins naturally, including vitamins D and K. Does this mean you should limit your intake of these vitamins from food? We have never heard of doctors suggesting to anyone to reduce foods naturally rich in these beneficial vitamins.
To be more precise, the human body doesnt even actually produce probiotics. Gut microflora is formed in your body as a baby. From there, the bacteria self-regulate its population by reproducing and dying. This means there is no chance of probiotic supplements hampering your bodys natural production because it doesnt create probiotics to begin with.
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What To Do If Your Symptoms Worsen With Probiotics
If you begin taking probiotics and your symptoms seem to be getting worse, you have several options:
- Push through a little longer. Sometimes symptoms get a little worse at first, then get significantly better a few days later, explains Strealy.
- Take half a dose. For example, take one capsule per day rather than one capsule twice a day.
- Switch the timing. For example, try taking the supplement at night before bedtime instead of during the day.
- Switch brands. Change to a different strain of bacteria, or switch to a yeast-based probiotic.
- Take a break and try again later. Some people just dont tolerate probiotics, Strealy says. You might consider trying again in a few months and see how it goes then.
If you have questions as you continue to take a probiotic supplement, your doctor or dietitian can give you further guidance to help you get the most benefit from probiotic supplements.
How Often Should I Be Taking Probiotics
- You should take the supplement daily.
Your body requires a steady supply of good bacteria to maintain good gut health.
Some may encounter diarrhea in a few initial days when taking probiotics.
With regular use, your body adapts to the changes and shows positive responses.
The main reason behind the use of probiotics is to maintain good gut health by balancing out bad bacteria and even lowering their level.
This can only be possible with a regular and uniform intake of probiotics.
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Increased Risk Of Infection
review from 2017 suggest that children and adults with severe illnesses or compromised immune systems should avoid using probiotics. Some people with these conditions have experienced bacterial or fungal infections as a result of probiotic use.
If a person has a condition that affects their immune system, they should speak with their doctor before taking probiotics.
Also, anyone using antifungal medication should wait until the infection has cleared up before taking probiotics.
Should I Take Them On A Daily Basis
While its reasonably safe to take probiotics daily, its not always necessary. According to researchers, a daily dose doesnt have a significant effect on healthy individuals.Every microbiome is unique, and what works for one individual may not work for another. Taking some strains may displace resident bacteria when taken daily.On the other hand, they help to increase beneficial bacteria in the gut, but these changes arent permanent. Treating some conditions may require daily supplements.Probiotics often contain transient bacteria that dont colonize the gut. They provide benefits as they pass through the GI tract.In one study, participants took a daily probiotic supplement for 14 days. Researchers found the beneficial bacteria decreased after participants stopped taking probiotics.Healthy individuals should maintain the gut microbiome with probiotic-rich food, like yogurt, kefir, or sauerkraut, rather than supplements.RELATED: IMMUNE BOOSTING TIPS TO STAY HEALTHY DURING A PANDEMIC
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Environmental Toxins Found In Everyday Items
Even seemingly safe and healthy items like toothpaste can contain environmental toxins in small amounts. The goal is to kill bacteria to protect you, but, in the process, exposure to these chemicals has a side effect of killing off the good bacteria in your gut. Likewise, alcoholic beverages are known to expose you to acetaldehyde a known Class A Carcinogen. You are regularly exposed to natural carcinogens like UVA light that affects your overall health and gut flora, too.
How Probiotics Might Be Bad For You
Because these good bacteria already exist in the body, theyâre considered safe for most people. But there are some things to consider.
They can trigger an allergic reaction. They might cause mild stomach problems, especially the first few days you start taking them. You might have stomach upset, gas, diarrhea, or bloating. Those symptoms usually go away after your body gets used to them.
If you have an immune system problem or another serious health condition, you may have a greater chance of issues. Some reports have linked probiotics to serious infections and other side effects. The people most likely to have trouble are those with immune system problems, people who’ve had surgery, and others who are critically ill. Don’t take probiotics if you have any of those issues.
Always talk to your pediatrician before giving probiotic supplements to your child. If you’re pregnant or nursing, you should also talk to your doctor before you try one.
Most probiotics in the U.S. are sold as dietary supplements. That means the companies that make them don’t have to test their products and show that they work or that they are safe. More research is needed to confirm that probiotics are safe and effective.
Ask your doctor which probiotics are the right ones for you. Be sure to stop taking them if you have any problems.
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How Can Probiotics Benefit The Rest Of The Body
While most famous for their immune-boosting properties, probiotics can also positively impact many other aspects of your health.
One way they achieve this is by boosting the efficacy of your gut and aiding the primary functions of your gastrointestinal system.
When you incorporate natural probiotics into a healthy, well-rounded diet, you can open up your body to:
Moving up to your brain, we find another significant, positive effect of proper probiotic consumption: improved function of the gut-brain axis.
The gut-brain axis is the system that connects our mind and microbiome through a complex series of communications, and its health can play a role in our cognitive and emotional success.
How To Decide Which Time Is Good To Take Probiotics
Your diet can provide you sufficient probiotics necessary for proper nutrition.
Sometimes, you require a little boost due to health issues, traveling, course of antibiotics, or other problems.
In these situations, taking the good bacteria is a boon.
Here are the two crucial factors determining when is the best time of the day to take probiotics.
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Get The Most Out Of Probiotic And How To Take Them Correctly
Probiotics can advance your digestive functions. However, you need to know when is the best time to take probiotics?
Probiotic intake at the right time can elevate your gut health to the next level.
Probiotics are good gut bacteria present in our stomach. Digestive issues can reduce their number affecting the gut microbiome.
Thus, probiotic consumption can help improve your gut microbiome. Ultimately, advancing your digestive functions and overall health.
Such health and nutritional goal can only be achieved if you know when is the best time to take a probiotic supplement.
Taking probiotics at the right time maintains a greater number of the microbes in the stomach. The more they are the more your digestion will work well.
So, lets find out whats the best time of day to take probiotics
How Often Should You Take Probiotics
Probiotics are live yeast and bacteria that are good for you, particularly in your digestive system. Your body is full of bacteria some of which are good, and some of which are bad. Its no surprise that probiotics fall into the good category. They help to keep your gut healthy, providing many benefits, which we will touch on below. A lot of people wonder whether they should take daily probiotic supplements or whether this is too much. You came to the right place were going to answer all of the questions you may have about when to take your probiotic supplement so that you can get a better understanding. So, lets get to it…
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Is It Safe To Take A Probiotic Every Day
If youre asking, Can I take a probiotic every day?, the answer is yes. Probiotics are a natural supplement, not a medicine. It is not possible to overdose to the point of death on probiotic foods or supplements. Common side effects of probiotics are gas, bloating, and nausea. Gas is the most common, and one that many may get when first starting on daily probiotic supplements. Your gut is experiencing changes in bacteria levels, and the gas is a sign of those changes. In most cases, gas from probiotics wears off quickly as your body gets used to the changes, but if indigestion and other problems persist, it is recommended you decrease the dosage and consult with your doctor.
Probiotics are safe for most people, but those with a weakened immune system or those starting chemotherapy should consult their doctor before beginning a probiotic supplement. Although there are few dangers for most people, it is vital to choose a probiotic that stays alive and will reach your digestive system intact so it can have the best effects. Bio-K+® is FDA regulated, and our daily supplements have a special coating to make sure they survive the passage through the stomach.
Your Personal Circadian Rhythm Matters
Gut bacteria impact your sleep cycle. Thus, you can take the supplement to heal an unhealthy digestive tract.
An imbalance in your gut microbiome can compromise your quality and quantity of sleep. So, its necessary to maintain your gut health for quality sleep.
For early risers, morning is perfect for the dosages. For late owls, taking the supplement in the evening is most suitable.
Now, you can decide when is the best time to take probiotics?
It depends on your reason behind taking the supplement and your circadian rhythms.
Whatever is the best time to take probiotics before or after meals, empty stomach or full, night or the morning, you should know 3 keys to the right use of probiotics.
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How To Take Probiotics For Maximum Benefits
The best time to take probiotic supplements is in the morning after you wake up.
You can have the supplement half an hour prior to having your meals with a glass of water.
This increases the survival chances of the good bacteria, once they enter your stomach.
Morning is the best time of day for probiotics.
When you are empty stomach your digestive tract is less active with no food. This makes your stomach less harsh for the good microbes.
Should I Take A Probiotic Every Day
The short answer: Yes, you should aim to take a probiotic every single day if possible. “It’s best to take probiotics at least once daily with water or milk,” Dr. Asike says. There are many different forms of probiotics you can purchase in the wellness aisle from powders to capsules, tablets to liquid suspensions, but a regular dose on an even basis should be a goal regardless of which strain of probiotic you take.
If you’re wondering what may be the best option for a daily probiotic, Dr. Asike recommends looking for multi-species or multi-strain products before single-strain supplements, as they may provide more benefits overall. Saccharomyces boulardii, as well as Lactobaccilus rhamnosus,are popular options that may provide more relief to those experiencing irritable bowel syndrome, he adds. “There isn’t one over-the-counter brand that’s better than another when it comes to strains I advise looking for multi-species or multi-strain , and to grab a store brand if that’s what’s available.”
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